Lock Up ⏐Charles Leclerc

Chapter 8

It was three days later when my parents decided to give me a call. We've only been exchanging texts the past few days but with their busy schedules and the time difference since they're staying in L.A. at the moment, it's been difficult to call.

I was currently lying down on the hammock in my backyard, a book lying on my lap and my feet covered with fuzzy socks. It was still cold but not too much for me to wear something over the matching gray sweats I had on.

"Ma fille!" [My daughter!] Papa exclaimed as I picked up the phone. "Comment va la Tuscany?" [How's Tuscany?]

"Géniale." [Amazing.] I smiled, closing my book and swinging my left leg so that I could move the hammock a bit. "Certainement le reste dont j'avais besoin." [Definitely the rest I needed.]

"Je suis contente. Comment ça se passe avec Aurora?" [I'm glad. How are things with Aurora?]

I told him about the wedding party I was planning for her, taking out the tiny detail that I had a little help from Charles. If I mentioned him, papa would begin asking questions and it didn't feel right to talk about Charles' life without his permission. After a few minutes of talking, I heard my mother's loud voice over the phone and smiled at how they argued about who was going to hold the phone before I heard her voice.

"Hi, mom." I said over the phone.

"Darling! When are you coming home? Your father has chosen me as a replacement for your French movie nights." She complained which immediately made me burst into laughter. Despite being an actress herself, she hated watching French films with my dad because he always chose ones that didn't have any subtitles and my mom was absolutely horrible with French.

"You said you liked the one from the other day." Papa but in but mom shushed him instead of answering.

"Mom, stop giving papa a hard time." I said, already imagining her rolling her eyes.

"He married me therefore he has to live with it."

We talked for another half hour or so, both of them telling me about their week. From what they were saying, it was just a summary because with the amount of work they do, a thirty-minute phone call isn't enough. During the call, I received a message from Charles asking if I was at home and I replied with a 'yes' before standing up from the hammock.

I walked towards my front door, humming from time to time as my mom talked. When I opened the door, Charles was already standing there wearing a gray hoodie and black joggers. I smiled at him and it widened when I glanced at the two cups of coffee in his hands.

"You are a godsend." I whispered to him as I grabbed a cup and let him in.

"Darling, I know I'm a godsend but that doesn't have to do with my story." My mom said and I was reminded that I'm currently in a phone call. I chuckled and Charles eyed me curiously as he followed me to the living room.

"Sorry, mom. I was talking to my friend." Charles plopped down on the other end of the couch I was on and placed his sock covered feet on my lap.

I raised an eyebrow at him but he only smirked at me, moving around to get more comfortable. "Aurora's there?"

"No, I have a new friend. He's actually my neighbor."

"Oh, it's a he." She said and I could already hear the teasing. She, along with Aurora, would take any chance they can get to set me up. Navi is the only one who tries to do it in a subtle way but nevertheless, she still likes to set me up on dates. "Who is this new friend of yours?"

"What friend?" I heard papa ask on the other line and I already knew it was time to end the call. If mom's the encouraging one when it comes to my lovelife, it's papa who's always wary of the guys I date.